Maya Rudolph Says Social Media Criticism: Due to the increased criticism made possible by social media, Maya Rudolph has expressed her worries about making a return to “Saturday Night Live” in the present day. When Rudolph announced her departure from the show in 2007, she voiced her worry about how the rise of smartphones and instantaneous social media reactions might affect her ability to be creative.

Rudolph spoke with Zane Lowe on Apple Music about how the rise of social media has created an environment where sound bits are used to start disputes, which she finds disgusting and irrelevant to her life. She was afraid the tremendous scrutiny she would get as a result of being on the show would prevent her from expressing herself creatively, therefore she was reluctant to participate.

When asked about her time on “SNL,” Rudolph reflected on how she and her colleagues could be creative without worrying about what others would think of their work right away. The show’s accessibility through cellphones, she said, has altered the viewing experience, with viewers increasingly watching sketches instead of full episodes.

Rudolph also made a passing reference to avoiding negative internet culture by saying that she wants to keep her distance from people who criticize her online. Recognizing the difficulty of keeping one’s perspective, she stressed the significance of not allowing the opinions of others to determine one’s reality.

Regarding the creative process on “SNL,” Rudolph admitted that there will be bad sketches, but he stressed the need of learning from them. She felt bad for the cast members who are now the target of instantaneous internet criticism, saying that in the past, such gaffes were accepted as part of the show and even enjoyed for their humorous value.

In sum, Rudolph’s comments illuminate the changing comedy scene in the digital era, as well as the difficulties induced by the increased scrutiny and immediate response made possible by social media.